It's All Downhill From Here
by Yesm777
Summary: Eli's on his way to his parents' house for a visit when he has a bad run in with a flat tire, a couple of guys and a very violent hillside. His older brother, Liam, is desperate to find him and asks Lightman and the team for help. Eli whump.
1. There's No Place Like Home

_**Disclaimer: **Yup, don't own Lie to Me or anything._

**_Author's Note: _**_Wooooooow...it's been a really long time. But, hey, good news: I finally graduated with my bachelor's in English! Perhaps I'll be back a bit more consistently than I've been for a very long time. Other good news: I've returned to work on an Eli whump story again. I miss Eli, but my mind has also wandered to other characters in other shows... Plus, I don't really want to recycle ideas. I think I'll be writing Eli whump until I run out of stories to tell about him. _

_This particular story could possibly be seen as following "Snips and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails", but it could probably stand alone. I brought Liam back because I like him...I don't usually like major OCs, but Liam is just so fun to write with. I hope he's as entertaining to you guys as he is to me. I also hope that there are still people willing to read Loker fics. If not, I guess it'll be time to hike over to the next show with an under-appreciated fellow just begging to be popped into a whump story. Or maybe just some character that will make an entertaining story with such whumpage, since that is what I write._

_Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this story. Let me know what you think! It's been awhile and I'm probably rusty, but I did my best. Don't forget to review, or updates will most likely be delayed or possibly stopped altogether...if that's any incentive. Okay, that was cruel. Just leave a review because I like them and I really do appreciate them. :)_

* * *

**1. There's No Place Like Home**

Eli only wanted to visit his family. Now that his brother, Liam, was getting his life pulled together, the family had decided on a nice family weekend. A time to bond, relax and just…reestablish what they had a decade or so ago. This was the weekend that a fractured family would be made whole…hopefully.

But, after begging for time off from Lightman, getting a weekend approved and finally getting in his car for a long drive, his trusty steed had given up on him. His car tire had suddenly gone flat, urging Eli to get off the road as the vehicle limped along. The worst part was that he was stuck in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing but steep mountainside up one side and a slightly less steep hill of trees on the other. To add the finishing touches to the pile of crap, it was starting to push past dusk. Eli wasn't a big fan of changing a tire in the dark.

Now, he was standing on the edge of road, staring vindictively at the flat tire.

"Of course." Eli sighed. He clenched his teeth in frustration, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets with extra force. He glared at his car, as if it would shake in its tires by his intimidation. At the lack of response, Eli growled angrily and kicked a tire with a hearty swipe of his foot, only to send rockets of pain up his entire limb.

"Oh, for the love of-!" he grunted, holding the one foot with both hands and bouncing on the other. He hopped towards the front of the car to get out of the road, narrowing his eyes at the headlights. "This isn't over yet, Sparky." he snarled.

After his foot had dulled into a slight ache, Eli popped the trunk and lifted up the flooring to reveal the spare tire. He sighed as he gave it a solid glare. Unfortunately, tires didn't change themselves.

Eli lugged the tire out of the trunk and set it on the ground, rolling it towards the offending tire. He walked back to the trunk and grabbed the necessary tools, facing the problem with determination. After an agonizing battle with the jack, the flat tire and some stubborn lug nuts, Eli finally managed to put on the spare tire. All he had to do was put the lug nuts back on and tighten them properly, but it still seemed like a never-ending chore. He just wanted to be at his parents' house being waited on by his abundantly kind mother. She would make him hot chocolate just the way he liked it and feed him delicious leftovers. Yes, he actually liked his mother's leftovers. They were delicious and he had no shame in saying so. He would always be her biggest fan.

As he let out another sigh, he noticed a truck pulling up behind his car. He would've stood up for a polite greeting, but he was desperately trying to finish his task. It was now dark and he was squinting in an attempt to see his work clearly.

"You need some help there, buddy?"

Eli heard a door slam and looked up at two approaching fellows.

"No, I think I've got it handled. Thanks for the offer." Eli replied quickly, feeling uncomfortable and vulnerable in the darkness. The truck headlights streamed through the black, almost blinding in the inky night.

"You sure?" the man asked. Eli squinted against the lights to get a better look at him, but could hardly pick out any defining features. Although, now that he was paying attention, the two looked somewhat young, probably not much older than himself.

"Yeah, I'm just about done here." Eli answered, tightening the final lug nut with a hurried urgency. He didn't like the body language of the two. It scared him. He wasn't sure if it was some kind of male tendency to look stronger than his opponent, or if these men intended to harm him. He sincerely hoped it was the former.

Eli watched the men closely, who were staring at him somewhat suspiciously, causing Eli's breath to quicken. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. All he wanted was to be at his parents' house, eating, chatting, and whatever else happened to turn up.

But something was very, very wrong. His gut seconded the motion.

"Look, I don't want any trouble." he said quickly, holding his hands up. He was done with the lug nut, but it seemed like some distant memory now. Eli stood up slowly, his hands still raised. "I don't know what you're planning to do, but I don't want any trouble."

The two glanced at each other, an eerie silence flickering through the air like static.

_Please, Lord, don't let them be serial killers_. he prayed, his heavy breathing scraping his ear drums as his heart bounced sporadically around his chest. _I take back all those nasty things I thought about Lightman. I mean it; just don't let them be serial killers._

There was a frighteningly familiar click. Eli hoped to high heaven that it wasn't what he thought it was.

"Then give us the keys and everything in your pockets." the first man growled, aiming a loaded gun in Eli's face. Eli wasn't actually sure if the gun was loaded, but he wasn't the type to gamble with such high stakes.

Eli dug into his pocket, clasping his hand around cold metal.

"Here's the keys." Eli said carefully, fishing the key ring out and holding it up for the man to see. Immediately, the keys were snatched from him and examined, but the gun wasn't removed.

"Everything in your pockets?" the man hinted, taking a step closer as Eli stared down the barrel with muted fear.

"I don't have anything in my pockets." Eli swiftly answered. "My wallet is in the cup holder and you just took my keys." The man sighed heavily and glanced at his partner.

"Check him."

The other walked around the car, coming up behind Eli and patting him down. He stopped at Eli's jacket pocket, reaching a hand within to pull out a cell phone. Eli began to panic. He forgot about his cell phone. He had been too caught up in his frustration and subsequent fear. The leader didn't say anything, but something in the air changed. Eli knew he had made a mistake. The gunman took three quick steps forward as his arm rose with the gun and came down in one, powerful chop.

Eli barely made a sound as the gun's handle collided with his head.

He dropped to the asphalt with a groan, finding it hard to stay conscious. Suddenly, the world went foggy and the darkness seemed fuzzier than before.

"Throw that crap in the trunk. I'll go dump this guy off the edge."

The voices sounded strangely muffled, as if smothered with a very thin, ineffective pillow. Eli was trying to remember what was going on when he felt his legs being lifted and his body being scraped across the asphalt. He was confused. Sharp pains were assaulting his back as tiny rocks and scratchy highway road clawed at his skin. But he was confused. Something was happening, something important.

The last thing Eli remembered was rolling unceremoniously down the rocky and tree-infested hillside.

* * *

Liam awoke with a start. He was camped out on his parents' couch, his body arranged in such a way so he could watch the front door with uninterrupted diligence. His little brother should be popping up any minute now. He couldn't afford to doze off.

Liam Loker stretched out his slender body, pushing his fists as far as they would go. A yawn dug its way to his mouth, prying his jaws open with surprising power. Liam pulled his limbs back towards his body, scrubbing his face with his hands and rubbing his eyes heartily.

Then it hit him.

It was morning. Eli was supposed to be here by now. His little brother was supposed to be here _hours_ ago.

Something wasn't right.

"Honey, did Eli turn up yet?"

Liam twisted around to stare at his mom.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **Now, remember to review! Sorry it was a little short, but if any of my regular readers are still out there, you know how much I seem to love cliffhangers. Thanks for reading!_


	2. Mind Tricks

_**Disclaimer: Yup, I don't own Lie to Me**_

_Author's Note: I know there's not a lot of reviews (or probably readers for that matter), but thanks so much for taking time to write one. I honestly was thrilled to see even a single review. Oki doke. Here's the next chapter. It's kind of just a filler, but I hope it's interesting. I'm kind of trying new things and approaches to situations, so hopefully it's still entertaining. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!_

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**2. Mind Tricks**

He awoke with a gasp.

Pain ricocheted within him, bolting through muscles, bones and violently colliding with his nerves. He took short, shallow breaths, attempting to quell the overwhelming ache in his body. Eli opened his eyes as wide as he could and stared up at an unfamiliar world. It looked to be dawn, as a purple hue drifted sleepily over the sky. A morning chill had begun to tickle his skin and his pain became more focused; more defined. Eli's chest felt tight and sharp pain assaulted his ribcage, but he had calmed to slow, careful breaths. His head was filled with a steady buzz of confusion and ache, drumming through his skull with a measured beat. So far, he figured he'd broken some ribs and hit his head. Most everything else he supposed was from bruising and scrapes. But the heavy throb in his thigh puzzled him. Perhaps it was another break, but he'd thought that it would hurt more than that.

Eli closed his eyes, squeezing them shut as his headache worsened. He was fairly confused. The whole situation was one big question mark. Something told him to assess; to look around; to find answers. All he really wanted to do was lie there and wait for the next step. But he couldn't. He didn't know why, but he just couldn't.

When he opened his eyes again, he noticed the trees. They stood tall over him, almost as though they were watching him with their ancient wisdom. It was intimidating. Eli decided it was time to sit up and face whatever the hell this was. He wiggled his fingers experimentally, some of his digits feeling a little stiff among the others. He could handle that. A sigh escaped him in a slow, even breath, preparing him for testing his arms. He moved them slowly, taking care to test for sprains or hidden breaks. As far as he could tell, there wasn't anything serious.

"I guess on the count of three…" he huffed, closing his eyes as he braced himself. "One…two…" He paused, suddenly a little panicky. "Three." He dug his elbows into the dirt and pushed his torso upright, sending his ribs into a fit of raging agony. Eli clenched his teeth together to keep from yelling out, settling on a hefty grunt of pain instead. His vision wobbled and blurred and his stomach cartwheeled and flipped in his gut. The headache bouncing around his brain had increased in pressure and concentration, only adding dizziness and an exceptional problem with consciousness. He closed his eyes while swallowing thickly, waiting for this to pass.

After a good while, the seas calmed and the world was still again, allowing Eli to open his eyes and peer around him more comfortably.

Then he thought he should've just stayed on the ground.

His eyes were glued to his leg, collaborating with his brain on figuring out what had actually happened to his beloved limb. He wanted to blame angry, revenge-seeking trees, but the idea of reality prevented such a serious consideration. There was a piece of wood through his thigh. A wild, stray chunk of a tree planted snuggly within Eli's leg. The actual sight of it brought fresh waves of pain. Lots and lots of angry pain. It also brought something like disbelief: Eli was trying hard to deny nature's spear in his thigh.

He looked up the hill, seeing evidence of where he had crashed through nature. It was like unconventional trailblazing. Eli glanced to his right, seeing more hillside diving down into an ocean of trees. He'd been lucky. He'd rolled onto a short stretch of flatter land, saving him from a never-ending game of chicken with tree trunks. On the other hand, his phone was scattered in pieces down the hillside, the bulk of it beside him in a pathetic chunk. It was useless. He was stuck in the middle of some steep hillside without a clue of what to do and bathing in an awful abundance of injuries and agony. Eli's head seem to worsen with each passing minute. He would kill for some ibuprofen.

To make matters worse, he couldn't remember how he got there.

* * *

"Liam, honey, what are you doing?" his mother, Andy, asked, wrapping her arms around herself anxiously. Liam was pacing around the kitchen, his cell phone pressed against his ear.

"I'm calling Eli. Maybe he's running late or somethin'." Liam explained, his eyes raised to the ceiling to avoid eye contact. A bad feeling bubbled in his gut, frying his appetite and maximizing his fear. He wasn't about tell his mom about it; she looked like she was going to have a heart attack as it was.

"What's going on?"

Liam glanced at his father, Joseph, seeing the puzzlement and fear. That certainly wasn't helping. Maybe his dad had the same gut feeling.

"Eli didn't come in last night. Liam's giving him a call right now." Andy mumbled, her voice hoarse with evidence of emotion. Liam tried to ignore it and focus on the call, but he was beginning to panic. It barely rang once before it cut straight to voicemail.

Liam licked his lips hastily, peeling the phone from his ear to dial another number.

"Did he answer?" his mother asked. He couldn't look at her. He was too terrified.

"No." he replied quietly, but firmly. Joseph didn't say anything; he just wound an arm around his wife and watched his son with a strong, mature fear.

The phone rang a couple times until it was finally answered by a distinct, English voice.

* * *

"Dr. Cal Lightman." Cal answered curtly. He scribbled a few more words on the page in front of him as he waited for a reply.

_"Dr. Lightman, this is Liam."_

The name certainly sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite put a face with the name. Something in this kid's voice sounded off. Urgent. Scared. Desperate. Cal's attention was captured and held hostage by the tone of this single person. Something was wrong and they had specifically called Cal. He just didn't know who it was.

_"You know, Eli Loker's brother."_

Cal sat up abruptly in his chair, a heavy image of a wavy brunette Loker. The one that used to cause trouble. The one that had caused Eli some trouble. But that was all in the past now. The last he heard of the kid was that he was well on his way to better things.

"What do you need, Liam?" he asked, vaguely wondered how Eli's brother had his direct number. Eli must've betrayed him.

_"I was just wondering if Eli's at work or something."_ Liam replied. Cal waited for more, feeling oddly cheated with the short explanation. After a half a minute of silence, it became clear that Liam wouldn't say anything else.

"No, I thought he was headin' to your parents' place or somethin' like tha'." he muttered in his usual British accent. Cal listened intently, hearing a slight change in Liam's breathing. "Why do you ask?"

_"He, uh…he didn't show up last night."_ Liam answered, his voice cracking in the middle of the short remark. Cal suddenly felt stiff and uncomfortable.

"Did you call his cell phone?"

There was a long pause.

_"Yeah…it went straight to voicemail."_

Cal rubbed his thumb and fingers on his forehead with something like fear nestling in his chest cavity. It was cold and unfeeling, digging its fingers into the very center of his being.

"I'll ask around and I'll get back to you, alright?" he said, trying to sound strong and confident as Liam seemed to be panicking on the other end.

_"Yeah, just call as soon as you can."_

"Alright, catch you later."

Cal hung up with an anxious shift of his person. He didn't like this.

Quickly, his fingers dialed a familiar number and roughly pressed the speaker phone button. He tried to be patient and listen to the ringtone, but he could barely keep himself from fidgeting.

_"Dr. Gillian Foster_."

"Hey, love. I need you and Torres in my office right away." he said swiftly, keeping his voice level and calm. There was no need to panic. At least, not yet.

_"Uh, sure, let me just finish this up in a minute and we'll head over there soon, okay?"_

"Great." he replied and hung up. Cal bit the tip of his thumb as he gazed out the window and attempted to think of any possible explanation as to what was going on with Eli. There had to be some obvious and safe reason why Eli wasn't where he was supposed to be.

Eli had to be healthy and fine somewhere…right?

* * *

Eli was trying to figure out what happened. It really should've been easier than he imagined, but he couldn't remember what had happened. The last clear memory he had was being at the Lightman Group doing some kind of work and then there were fuzzy bits of driving and talking and incoherent images. He studied his injuries more thoroughly as he probed his brain. He looked bad. Especially his leg.

Eli hovered a hand over the largest splinter to ever exist in a person's body—well, at least in _his_ body—wondering if he should dare touch anything, but he could clearly see the blood soaking his jeans. His mind kept telling him that that much blood was very, very bad. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't think straight. Everything was more puzzling than it should have been.

"You know, you should probably tie something around your leg to slow the bleeding."

Eli looked up.

"Where the hell did you come from?"

Liam smirked down at him, raising an eyebrow at the question.

"If you must know, I'm not really here."

Eli paused, squinting against the sunlight.

"…What?"

"You really should tie something around your leg. That looks pretty bad, bro." Liam sighed, crouching down for a closer look. Eli stared at him, trying to work out some kind of reasoning for anything that had happened to him. This was all getting more and more confusing as time sauntered by.

"Well, why don't you do it then?" he shot back, hissing as his ribs protested against his firm speech.

"I can't, E. You have to do this yourself." Liam muttered sadly. "I can't help you." There was a moment of silence as birds chirped in the distance.

"But…why not?" Eli whispered, careful not to agitate his ribs. Liam smiled, looking at his younger brother with soft eyes.

"Because I'm not real."

Eli gaped, wondering if he was finally going mad.

"Wh-what do you mean you're not real?" he asked anxiously, trying to keep his panicked breaths short and shallow.

"I'm not saying Liam isn't real. I'm just saying that the Liam you see here,"—Liam gestured to himself"is not real. I'm here to help you."

"How can you help me if you're not here?" Eli snapped, gasping as his ribs scraped together.

"I'm helping you think, little bro. You hit your head pretty bad and your intelligent brain and imagination created me to help you survive. Right now, you need me to tell you what to do."

Eli snorted.

"You're crazy."

Liam chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, you're seeing people that aren't actually there. Don't you think that's a _little_ crazy?"

Eli stared at him as fingers of dizziness crept into his head. The world teetered like a seesaw, slow and consistent.

"Eli?"

Eli could hear Liam's voice, but it sounded muffled and weird, drowned by an overwhelming silence. His thoughts seem to slosh together, adding weight to his head. His vision dimmed and the world tilted just before his head hit the ground.

* * *

"Do either of you know where Loker is?" Cal asked, cutting straight to the point. Foster and Torres looked at him with puzzled expressions, glancing at each other before turning back to Cal.

"I thought he was going to his parents' house for the weekend." Foster answered, worry flitting through her voice. Loker had been asking for time off for weeks now; she was quite certain he hadn't backed out now, but maybe Cal knew something she didn't.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too." Cal sighed. "But he didn't show up last night. His brother called me this morning." Foster and Torres went silent as the situation settled in. The quiet felt frantic and urgent, anxious to get out of the room.

"I saw him leave last night." Torres explained, her voice panicky and frightened. "He left straight from work. I saw him leave, I know I did." Cal looked at her, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Then what happened between here and there?" he muttered, almost too quietly for the women to hear. His mind grappled on to a call to action, anxious to recover his lost employee. "Phone Reynolds. We need to find Loker."

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_Author's Note: Phew. Well, I hope it was entertaining! Thanks for reading, please review!_


	3. A Figure of Wisdom

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Lie to Me.**_

_Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews and feedback, guys. It's a vague fandom these days, but I'm glad some people are still sticking to it. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I'm trying out this whole hallucination thing and I find it entertaining, but I hope you guys do too. Thanks for reading and please review if you can spare one!_

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**3. A Figure of Wisdom**

Liam had driven all morning to get to the Lightman Group. It took everything he had to convince his parents to stay at home, using the excuse that maybe Eli would turn up. He didn't really believe it. He just didn't want them too involved, especially his mother.

As he drove, he had watched the road closely, looking for any sign of Eli. He knew his younger brother would have driven the same road and it couldn't have been too long of a trip for a break. But then you never know when you need some chips.

Now, he was sitting in Dr. Lightman's office, his head in his hands as he realized this nightmare was real. Terrifyingly real.

"I sent a BOLO out for his car. Hopefully it'll turn up soon." Reynolds sighed, putting his hands on his hips.

"Thanks, Reynolds." Foster said quietly, rubbing a hand on Liam's back. "We appreciate you doing this." Reynolds shrugged slightly.

"Technically, I shouldn't be looking for him before the twenty-four hour mark, but if you say something's wrong, I believe you."

"He would've called." Liam croaked, digging the heels of his hands into his eyes. "Eli can't bear to worry my mom. He would've called just for her."

Cal watched the scene silently, seeing the genuine fear and anxiety. His hopes for an unharmed Loker were slowly drifting away. Reynolds was standing stiffly, hinting at his own suspicion of the situation. That certainly didn't help Cal. Ria leaned against the doorway, wordless with a nail constantly lodged between her teeth. Everybody was worried. At this point, no one could deny that Eli was probably in danger. To make it worse, no one had a single idea of where Loker could be.

Liam had explained that he hadn't seen any signs of a car accident on his way to the Lightman Group, nor had he seen any clues as to where Eli could be. Reynolds had stopped by Loker's house on the way to the office to be sure, but discovered no signs of the lost employee. It was looking worse by the moment. Eli had somehow been lost between here and there. They just had to figure out where.

"Trust Loker to get into trouble…" Lightman grumbled. He was worried. He didn't want to admit it, but he was worried. Usually, they had a place to start in these kinds of cases. Right now, they were twiddling their thumbs, waiting to see if Reynolds could catch anything of use. They didn't know where to begin or what to do. If it really came down to it, they might have to start sweeping the area around the road Eli had taken. But, that would take too long. They needed a lead.

"What're we supposed to do now?" Liam whined, looking like he was about to rip his hair out from anxiety. There was a pause as everyone looked at each other, hoping there was something they could do.

"I guess we'll just have to sit tight until I get something from the BOLO." Reynolds sighed, clearly irritated by the prospect of waiting. They couldn't take much more of this.

Liam prayed.

* * *

"Eli, you have to wake up."

The voice echoed around his head, calm and fluid, almost authoritative. It was definitely familiar, but it wasn't Liam's voice. He vaguely wondered where Liam had gone.

"Eli, you have to get up."

For some reason, he felt like he needed to obey. It was imperative that he listened, but he didn't know why. He tried to pry his eyes open, using everything he had to get back to consciousness. His eyes opened to slits against the sunlight, still begging to close.

"Oh, good, you're awake."

Eli turned his head, trying to ignore the throbbing in his skull.

"…Dad?" he croaked, gazing blearily at the smiling face above him. His dad always offered a smile for as long as he could remember. That's just how he was. He tried to his best to be positive and he planted himself as the rock of the family. Joseph Loker stood like a powerful man, filled to the brim with ancient wisdom.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" he mumbled, struggling to sit up. He grunted against his broken ribs, trying hard not to move his leg.

"I'm here to help you." Joseph chuckled, sitting next to his son with a fond smile. His eyes immediately wandered to Eli's thigh, a worried glint settled in his gaze. "You need to tie something around your leg."

"That's what Liam said." Eli groaned, rubbing his eyes with a loose fist. "I suppose you're not real either." Joseph grinned and looked at the trees, admiring the nature around them.

"Maybe not. But if I was here, I'd be doing something about that leg. You need to slow the bleeding. Your mother and I are _worried_ about you." Joseph was sure to emphasize the parental worry, as if he knew his son could be persuaded by the thought. Eli took a deep breath, blinking his eyes in an attempt to chase away his headache. It wasn't really working.

"How do you know if you guys are worried about me if you aren't even real?" Eli sighed, looking for anything to tie around his thigh. If his family was going to keep bothering him about it, he might as well just get it done and over with.

Joseph looked at him, his eyes swirling with something Eli had always respected. He was never sure if it was wisdom or power, but he always understood that his father was in charge.

"I'm from your head, just like Liam was. _You_ know we're worried about you. If you know, then I know." Joseph explained, looking back at Eli's leg. "You're going to have to have to rip up your shirt, son."

Eli looked down at his navy blue tee, trying to figure out how he was going to manage ripping it apart hulk-style. It was going to be painful; he could've counted on that. His immediate decision was simple: he didn't want to do it.

"Do I have to?" he whined, glancing at his father before examining his tee for a second time.

"I'd do it myself if I could, kid." Joseph mumbled, looking apologetic. "I've always wanted to help you boys. But, sometimes, you two had to do things yourself. I couldn't plan your life for you and I couldn't stop you from doing stupid things. You had to learn from your mistakes, but it was hard for your mother and me to watch." There was a silence as Eli inspected his shirt, looking for a good, sizable hole in the fabric. He pretended to be distracted, but he heard every word his dad had told him. Eli had always known how much it hurt his parents to have to stand on the sidelines. They wanted the best for their sons, and sometimes that meant doing nothing at all.

"I mean, look at you two now. You went off to work with some successful lie detection agency and Liam went…well, he just went off the deep end. Your mother and I tried our best to bring Liam back to something steady and true but, in the end, it was you who brought the Liam we knew home. You were the one that opened his eyes. While we believe it was right for us to put forth some effort, we're still learning that sometimes the best place for us as parents is merely as observers. Right now, we could try to look for you ourselves, but Liam's started this new thing where he worries about us. He thinks we're getting old and need help. Unfortunately, we'd probably do more good staying at home than traipsing about the countryside looking for you."

Eli looked at his father with a meaningful look. Joseph didn't hesitate to return it.

"But heaven knows we'd fight grizzly bears and rabid squirrels to get to you."

Tears began to fill Eli's eyes, angrily distorting his vision. For some reason, it was hardly an odd image to see his father wrestling a grizzly bear. Sure, Joseph was always a sophisticated, well-mannered and professional person, but he cared about his sons enough to throw all that away to tackle a bear.

"Dad, I miss talking to you." he croaked, thinking back to all his lonely days in his apartment, just wishing he had his father's wisdom in a book. Joseph smiled, the clear love of a father on his face.

"You know you can talk to me anytime. And since I'm here, we'll talk. But, first, you need to take care of that leg."

Eli looked down at his shirt, his tears doubling at the realization that he had to do this, no matter how much pain it would cause. He was getting dizzy, cold and weak and he couldn't afford to put this off any longer.

"I know you don't want to, Eli. It won't be easy. But if you could please do it for me. For your mother. For Liam. We need you. _Liam_ needs you. Lately he's had a softer heart than your grandmother's ice cream." Eli laughed, recalling grandma Mary's soft serve. It gave a whole new definition to the word 'soft'.

Eli nodded, taking bits of fabric firmly in his grip. He had to do this. There was no turning back now. He took a shaky breath, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his teeth together.

Eli pulled with everything he had, ripping the fabric in as much of a strip as he could manage. His ribs screamed, his muscles shouted and the pain overloaded his brain. He was starting to get dizzier, but he could tell he was almost finished.

The fabric pulled away from the shirt with a snap.

Eli opened his eyes, looking down at the navy blue and feeling weak but victorious at the same time. He was breathing hard, trying to steady his beating heart and frantic mind. It was done now; he didn't to worry about it.

"That's how you know you're my son." Joseph explained proudly. "You get done what needs to be done."

Eli smiled as he took a moment to compose himself, then immediately started tying the fabric around his thigh. He grunted against the ache in his chest and carefully wrapped the navy blue around his jeans, just above the injury. He gulped thickly, hesitating as his hands were still gripped to each end of the strip. He knew his dad was watching him. And even if he wasn't actually there, it was still comforting.

With a single breath for courage, Eli pulled. Hard.

He cried out in pain, a sudden feeling of nausea bubbling at the bottom of his stomach. Eli didn't want to pull anymore; he just wanted the pain to go away. But he didn't stop. Not until it was as tight as it would go and finished it with a double knot.

"I hated every minute of that." he huffed, turning to look at his father. Joseph smiled through a haze of sadness.

"I know, kid."

Eli breathed heavily, blinking away the spots in his vision. He knew he had to stay conscious, even if he couldn't remember why. But he was starting to realize how dire his situation was. Eli was beginning to get scared.

"Dad, I love you." he mumbled softly. Eli missed his dad. Of course, he missed his brother and mom too, but having even a representation of his father stirred something within him. He had almost forgotten how much he loved his father. How much he loved his _family._

"I love you too, Eli." Joseph replied, his sharp, green eyes misting in the sunlight.

They sat in silence for a moment, simply enjoying the company of their companion. Even if one of them was only a figment of the other's imagination.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, kid?"

Eli gulped, watching the trees with an absent interest.

"If I don't make it out of here…will you guys be okay?"

Joseph fidgeted beside him, obviously distressed by the question.

"Eli, you're going to be just fine, you just—"

"Yeah, maybe I will be just fine. But what if I'm not?" He looked at his father. "Will you guys be okay?" Joseph looked at his son, his eyebrows pulled up in a moment of parental fear. Eli watched as emotion weaved through his dad like ivy.

"To be honest," Joseph croaked, rubbing his chin. "I don't think we will." There was a beat of quiet, allowing Joseph to collect his strength. "Perhaps we'll be able to move on. Maybe it will even make us stronger. But we'll be different."

Eli looked at his father questioningly, suddenly concerned for his family.

"How could we go back to how things were? You weren't just a son or a brother. You weren't even just a person to us. To anybody. Nobody is that simply defined."

Joseph blinked away tears, attempting to maintain his composure.

"To us, you're a special kind of smile. You're a distinct kind of love. You're a pair of warm, gray eyes. You're a familiar laugh. To us, you're a long-lasting joke about gloves; a unique brand of encouragement; a listener; a plague of willpower. Eli, you're something that we can't replace, no matter how much we look or how hard we try. If we lose you, we'll always know that something is missing from everything. Because, Eli, to us…to us you are a bit of everything."

Eli pulled the hem of his undershirt to his eyes, eager to wipe away the collected moisture.

"Dad…I don't wanna die." he sobbed.

* * *

_Author's Note: I have to admit I got a little teary towards the end there. Maybe I'm just emotional because it's a little late at night...Thanks for reading. Leave a review if you can!_


	4. The Fear of a Son

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Lie to Me._**

_Author's Note: Woop, another chapter. I hope it's entertaining. Thanks for all your kind words and alerts, I appreciate them. There will probably be a couple of chapters after this one, so it's almost done! Anyway, read on. I hope you like it._

* * *

**4. The Fear of a Son**

Liam would've done anything to trade places with Eli. Yeah, Liam had no idea where his little bro could be, but if Eli was suffering, he would do anything to take that away from him. He called his parents to keep them updated, but wished he didn't have to. It was easy to hear the tense worry in his father's voice and even easier to catch his mother's distraught sniffles and breaths. All they could really hope for was for Eli to come home safe and alive.

To be honest, he was tired of Dr. Foster's pity. He wasn't a child. Nor was he the type to crave attention. He was a grown man and he preferred to be alone during these kinds of situations anyway. Still, he could tell that pitying others and offering comfort was her way of dealing with tragedy and hardship and Eli would have his brother's head if he didn't let her do her own thing. So he took the pity for Eli.

The other members of the team were mostly quiet, except for Dr. Lightman's occasional exclamations of irritation. Apparently, Lightman's way of dealing with a tough situation is getting angry and frustrated. At any other moment, Liam might have found it amusing, but in the current state of life, he found it annoying. He just wanted some time to himself in complete silence.

He attempted to go to the break room to get away from all the others, but after about seven minutes, Dr. Foster tracked him down to see if he was okay. She was a nice lady, that's for sure. But she was a little suffocating at the moment. If Liam could will anyone to speak, it would be Agent Reynolds. He would will him to have answers and good news. But wishes could only go so far.

Perhaps.

While the group was sitting in Lightman's office, moping and whatever else they could to deal with the problems at hand, Agent Reynolds got a phone call. He snapped the device to his ear, quickly speaking to the person on the other line. There was the usual nonsense back and forth with Reynolds' expected inquiry for information, hardly worth anything to everyone else. Without warning, Ben straightened up, a hopeful spark in his eye.

"You found it? You sure?"

All ears in the room tuned in, focused and serious.

"Bring them to the Lightman Group."

A slight buzz came from Ben's phone, indicating that the other person was speaking hastily.

"There's no need. Dr. Lightman will be able to get the information efficiently and quickly. Just bring them to the Lightman Group and we'll deal with it ourselves."

There was more muffled speech from the phone, soft and swift.

"Thanks. I'll see you when you get here."

Reynolds hung up without another word, his shoulders squared and sturdy. Lightman hardly missed a beat.

"From your posture, I take it we have good news." he suspected, looking at the agent with nonchalance. Lightman was good at masking his own emotions, but Liam didn't have to read people to know the man was anxious. Lightman's talent was in the physical appearance, but Liam's was in the things unseen. He could feel the doctor's unease. It was hard to miss.

"Yeah, some uniforms found a couple of guys trying to sell Loker's car. They're bringing the suspects here now. But it'll take some time; they're coming from out of town." Reynolds explained. Cal simply stared at the agent, as if hoping he could push his own thoughts into the agent's mind.

"Let's hope it won't be too long, yeah?" he sighed.

* * *

Eli groaned as he opened his eyes. He was lying on the ground, staring up at the sunlit trees. The sun was getting higher in the sky, shining dreamily across the forest.

Eli didn't remember falling asleep. He didn't even remember dropping back to the leaf strewn floor. The last he could recall was a quiet discussion about death with his imaginary father. For most of the conversation, he was fighting back tears and couldn't bring himself to listen to his dad. He didn't want to accept death. Not yet. It wasn't his time.

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to."

He knew that voice anywhere. It was the same voice that sang him to sleep after childhood nightmares. Eli turned his head to the left.

"Hi, mom." he whispered, staring at her with dead eyes. He wanted to sit up and speak to her properly, but his body had grown weak and weary, having settled comfortably over the dirt. Eli knew he wouldn't be able to sit up. He didn't have the strength anymore.

"Hey, baby boy." she replied, smiling that warm smile of hers. Her auburn hair was gently pulled back into a braid, the woven rope draping loosely over her shoulder. Eli studied the lines on her face, knowing that it was his brother and he that put them there.

"I'm sorry, mom." he mumbled. She looked puzzled, tilting her head to the side as she softly gazed on her son.

"For what?" she chuckled, her gentle, gray eyes bringing comfort and peace. Eli's unease was soothed, but his guilt multiplied.

"For all those hard years." he croaked, a silent tear running down his face. "You did so much for us, and all we did was worry you." Andy smiled, shaking her head a little.

"No, Eli. Worrying is just part of being a parent." she crooned. Eli knew that if she were real, she would run her fingers through his hair, just like she did when he was little. He craved his mother's comforting touch, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"You two didn't just bring me worry." she hummed, her gray eyes wise and content. "You boys brought me joy and adventure. I am so proud of you two." Eli could tell she was blinking back tears, but she always got emotional when she was putting her whole heart into her voice. He knew that she was telling the truth. She was proud of them. Despite all their mistakes and trouble-making, Liam and Eli had made her proud.

"But we did such stupid things all the time; we made mistakes." he reasoned, trying to understand how she could love her sons so much after so much heartache and mischief.

"People make mistakes, Eli. It's how we learn and become the people we are. Maybe some of Liam's mistakes were a little…extreme. But now he's using those experiences to help him in his new life. He's grown up to be a fine man _because _of those mistakes." She gave Eli a small shrug. "Even after all that, being a mother was the greatest decision of my life."

Eli couldn't help but smile, overcome by her silent expression of love. With every word, she showed how much she cared. She had always been that way, somehow passionate in a shy and loving gesture.

"You may have been trouble, Eli, but you are the very heart of this family." she explained, her eyes brushed over with a sweet smile. "From day one, you connected us together. You were always our mediator, you know. You could read our faces easier than any book." Andy chuckled, remembering Eli's young, grinning face, topped with messy brunette waves. "And you always had the right things to say."

Eli smiled, fighting against a wave of tears. It didn't matter that this mom wasn't real. It didn't even matter that his father hadn't been real. Because he knew they would've said all the same things.

"I love you, baby boy. And I hope you'll always remember it." she said softly, smiling her small smile. He swallowed a sob, suddenly terrified that he was going to leave her behind.

"I love you too, mom." he croaked, more desperate than ever to live. Even if it was just for his mom, he wanted to live. But, what if it didn't turn out that way?

"Mom?" he mumbled, his voice broken and cracked.

"Yes, Eli?"

His emotions quivered and the silence pressed painfully against him.

"I know that dad will take care of you, like he always has…but…if I don't come home,"

Eli took a deep breath, wishing he didn't have to ask. But he needed to know; he had to know his mom would be alright.

"If I don't come home, will you be okay?" he asked, his grey eyes filled with terror. Out of every member of his family, his mom was the most sensitive. When grandpa Jimmy passed away, Andy had taken it hard. She never said it, but Eli had always known how painful the passing had been for her. It was in her eyes. Everything she felt was always in her eyes.

Right now, they were filled with tears.

She still had that smile and a constant aura of warmth, but he knew her heart was breaking at the very thought of losing a son.

"Of course I will, Eli. If your time has come, then I have no choice but to accept it." she replied, her voice shaky and shy. Eli could tell she was only telling part of the truth.

"I just remember how you were when grandpa passed away." he muttered, his eyes stinging with how tired he was. He was so very, very tired. "I don't want to do that to you." Tears slipped down Andy's face, attempting to dampen her smile. Her face was pinched with emotion, but she was still fighting to comfort her son.

"Eli, everybody has to die. Time can't go on forever. Yes, I'll be sad to see you go, and it'll probably be hard for a long while. So many things remind me of you: apples, a smile, your old bedroom…Even you father reminds me of you. But I'll move on and I'll keep living just like I used to with you always in my heart."

Eli looked up at the blue sky, his tears falling against the skin of his guise, cool and stiff. His death would practically kill his mother. He could already see her at the funeral, trying her best to keep her composure.

"Mom, if I don't make it," Eli mumbled, wishing he could reach out and grab her hand. "you don't need to act strong. Dad will always be there for you. If you want to cry, then cry. You shouldn't have to hold your tears back. It always hurt us the most when we knew you were trying to be strong for us. Don't fight your emotions, because dad will be right next to you. So will Liam. But I want you to know, that even though I won't be able to be there, I'll be okay. You shouldn't have to worry about me."

Tears dripped off Andy's chin, her small sniffles echoing around the empty woodland. Eli was getting tired, but he didn't want to leave his mom alone. Even if she wasn't real, he couldn't bring himself to leave her like that. Eli wanted to tell her how sorry he was, how much he wished he could be there for her, but he knew that would only make things worse. So, he said the only thing he could say.

"I love you, mom. And I hope you will always remember it."

She smiled, her cheeks glistening with tears.

"I love you too, baby boy."

Eli's eyelids drifted closed, shutting his soul within an unconscious body.

* * *

"Is that them?" Cal asked Reynolds, watching the officers pushing two young men down the hall.

"Yep, they're the guys." Ben replied curtly, his lips pressed into a tight line. "They're saying they don't know anything about the driver."

"We'll see about that." Cal grumbled, sauntering off towards the cube, anxious to find answers.

"Don't hold back." Reynolds called, his voice level and calm.

"Wasn't planning on it." Cal replied loudly, clenching his fists.

He'll try not to kill them.

* * *

_Author's Note: Hm. Cal will get some answers. I hope that wasn't too sad or boring. Thanks for reading! Please leave a review if you can spare one._


	5. A Brother's Bond

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Lie to Me.**_

_Author's Note: So, I saw that Brendan Hines (the guy that plays Eli Loker) was on that new show "Scandal", so I kind of checked it out. Decided I didn't really like the show, but maybe Hines' presence on the show would make it okay, so I skipped around on the episodes to see what kind of character he is. Well, then I skip to episode seven and lo and behold, Gideon Wallace (his character on the show) is on the ground with scissors in his neck. I was like, "what the freakin' crap?" He's still alive. So then this other chick on the show sees him and runs over to help. At this point, he's making sad attempts to grip the scissors. I am visibly tensing at the possibility and saying, "don't pull the scissors out, are you crazy?" So she is kneeling next to him, hovering her hands like she doesn't know what to do and then decides to take hold of these scissors. Now I am just astounded. "What did I say, lady? Don't pull the scissors out. He's gonna die if you do that. Call an ambulance and leave the scissors there so he doesn't bleed out." Oh, wait, what does she do? She pulls the scissors out. And he dies. Bleeds all over the floor. "Look what you did to Brendan Hines, lady. Now he's dead. I told you not to take the scissors out."_

_I'm a little relieved that he's off the show, because now I won't feel obligated to watch it until I finally realize I don't like it. On the other hand, I grieve that characters don't listen to my verbal advice. Life would be easier if they listened. I guess that's why I write fanfiction. That way, the characters do what I ask._

_Sorry, I kind of rambled there. But here's a new chapter! I hope it's delightful, as usual. I promise I didn't put scissors in somebody's neck and put an intentionally flustered character to kill that somebody…by pulling the scissors out. Now that that is established, read on and enjoy!_

* * *

**5. A Brother's Bond**

Cal shoved the door open, allowing it to bounce against the wall. Liam jumped, startled by the sudden noise and movement.

"Did you get it?" Reynolds asked, watching Lightman seriously. He had opted not to watch the interrogation, certain that the good doctor would pull out some slightly violent tactics. Liam wouldn't watch because he was sure he'd interrupt just to beat the guy until he was liquefied.

Cal held up a scrap of paper, scribbled with information.

"Says they dumped Loker on the other side of the road." he grumbled irritably. Liam sucked in a hearty breath, imagining his brother lost on the same highway he'd taken earlier. Eli was probably a hundred feet away from his car when he drove by. That just made him sick.

"Said they rolled him down the slope so he wouldn't tell anybody in too short a time." Cal added, sauntering off towards the exit. Torres and Foster emerged from the observation room, practically jogging in their heels to follow Lightman.

"Damn." Reynolds sighed, shaking his head as he joined the parade of worried faces. Liam came last, eager not to be left behind. If Eli was in trouble, he'd be there to help.

* * *

Liam had taken his own car, more inclined to search by himself. He needed to do something. He had to feel like he was helping somehow. Besides, he needed time by himself.

He had sped down the highway ahead of the others, having memorized where the car thieves supposed they dumped Eli. He knew the road a little better than the others and he was practically sweating worry. Although, Liam could tell they were _all_ concerned. He could feel it in the air. But Eli was still his kid brother. That had to say something about his desperation to find him.

After going a little ways past the estimated area, Liam had turned around and slowly drove his vehicle along the shoulder. He was leaning as far as he could for maximum visibility and his eyes narrowed as he stared into the trees. He didn't want to miss anything. Even if the sun set too soon, he would grab a flashlight and trek through the decayed leaves and slope himself. Liam wouldn't leave until he found his brother. Preferably, not as a corpse.

The team had passed him awhile ago, split into a couple of cars for whatever reason. They had stuck close together, but Liam had surged ahead without a second thought. Right now, that didn't matter. He was too focused looking past tree trunks and occasional bushes. Liam would search until his eyes burned.

Or now.

He knew what it was before he had properly focused his vision. At first, it was just a shape in the corner of his eye. Now it was something much clearer and defined. It was a person. Somebody with those telltale brunette Loker waves. Somebody who wasn't moving an inch.

"Damn it." Liam growled, zooming his car up a little and shoving it into park. He didn't even look for oncoming cars. He practically kicked the door open to stumble out of the front seat and slam the door back behind him. Just as he was sprinting across the short stretch of shoulder, the team drove up behind him. Liam ignored them.

"Wait!" Reynolds called. Liam didn't listen. He quickly descended the slope, sliding most of the way down as leaves and dirt found their way into his shoes. He was getting closer. And, hell, Eli looked bad.

As the hill flattened a little, Liam bounded towards his brother, falling to his knees beside the still form. Eli was in bad shape. Horrendous shape. He wasn't even conscious.

"I found you, E. I found you." Liam whispered, his words almost drowned by his heavy breathing. He took an inventory of his brother's wellbeing, starting at his head.

A heavy gash on the forehead.

Loss of color.

Minor cuts.

Some bruising.

Torn shirt.

Liam stopped, his eyes paused at the strip of dirty fabric around Eli's leg. It taunted him, teasing him with a heavy problem Liam knew was there, but was afraid to accept. He forced his eyes further, pushing them past the fabric.

He forgot how to breathe.

"Damn it, Eli. What did they do to you?" he sighed shakily, his hands hovering over Eli's thigh. He didn't know how something like that could happen. How could a stray piece of tree do that to a person? But it was right there. There was nothing to deny.

Liam tore off his jacket, wrapping it carefully around the piece of wood. Then he pressed down with everything he had.

Eli jerked awake with a painful gasp.

"Eli?" Liam breathed, his eyes wide as he watched his brother. His tousled waves were getting in his eyes, but he was too focused on putting pressure on the jacket. Eli's eyes slowly searched the air around him, half-open but pained. His gaze finally settled on Liam, looking puzzled.

"Liam?" he croaked, his voice dry and husky.

"Yeah, I'm here, buddy." Liam replied, forcing a smirk on his face. He could hear the team talking frantically on the road. One of them was probably calling an ambulance.

"Are you…real?" Eli wheezed, his face whitening under the pain. Liam furrowed his brow, unsure of how to answer.

"As real as they come, bro." he chuckled nervously. Something about Eli's eyes made him nervous. They were hazy and dull, lacking a proper reaction to the situation at hand. Eli wasn't scared or worried, he was simply…accepting. But that couldn't be right. Liam always remembered Eli to be a fighter when it counted. He could act nonchalant all he wanted, but when the right situation came up, he was ready to go down swinging.

This was supposed to be one of those situations.

Eli wasn't supposed to be submissive. He was supposed to be fighting.

"How is he?" Foster called. Liam jumped, startled by her voice. He almost forgot the rest of the team was up there.

Liam didn't say anything, he just looked at her with an expression stuffed with information: things looked bad; get the ambulance quick; I don't want to tell my mom she lost a son. Liam was frightened. Even from a distance, Foster could tell. Liam wasn't ready for this. He still needed a brother.

"You've got to hang in there, E." Liam huffed, reapplying the pressure on the wound. Eli blinked slow, casual blinks, looking carefree amid the chaos.

"What happened, bro? Why did this happen to you?" Liam blurted, the words mixed with rattled breaths. He glanced at his brother's face, afraid of what Eli would say. Eli swallowed, looking up at the sky with relaxed features.

"I…just stopped to change a tire." he whispered. He was completely still, watching the blue above him with a dull interest. "It was…dark."

Liam felt his innards jam together, almost as if they were embracing one another for the upcoming details. He shouldn't have asked. He wasn't ready.

"I think…I think I was pistol whipped." Eli breathed, a corner of his mouth twitching upwards. "That's pretty bad ass, huh?" His voice was quiet and even, nearly dozing off into a tranquil silence.

"Bad ass?" Liam laughed, trying not to sound completely hysterical while doing so. "You? Come on, Eli. We both know I'm the bad ass in the family." Eli laughed a small, wheezy laugh. Liam watched his brother's smile, instantly regretting it. It was a sad scene. Eli Loker had always had a strong laughter, full of life and happiness. Whether it was a chuckle or a loud laugh, Eli seem to put ever drop of himself into it. He certainly wasn't now. It was weak and lacking and Liam hated to hear it. He hated to see that smile, almost empty and lifeless.

"I know I don't say it enough…" Eli mumbled, a hint of a smile still on his lips. "but…I love you, Liam."

Liam practically choked on his own breath. His eyes filled with suspicious liquid and the blood drained from his face. He had to put all of his power into smiling. It was a small smile, but he felt it was necessary.

"I love you too, E." he croaked, trying to keep his voice level and controlled. Where was that ambulance? Why did this happen? Why was it still happening?

No.

He couldn't think like that.

Things just happen and there's nothing he could do about it now except hold this jacket against his brother's leg.

"How's he doin', mate?"

Liam glanced over his shoulder at Lightman, trying to blink the tears from his eyes in a desperate return to masculinity.

"He's still alive. I count that as a win." Liam mumbled pathetically. Lightman sighed, his eyes glued to the chunk of wood sticking out of Eli's thigh.

"Hey, Lightman." Eli whispered, smiling softly. "Didn't think…I'd see you here." Cal frowned.

"Nobody throws my employee off the road without me knowin' about it." Lightman countered, looking like he was ready to rip some arms off. Liam had passed that stage. He was now at the door of giving up entirely. The situation seemed dire; Eli had even pulled an 'I love you' bit. Maybe they were too late after all.

"Where are the damn paramedics?" Lightman growled, turning to hike back up the hill. The doc was scared. That just made everything worse; Liam didn't know what to think anymore.

"Don't look so sad, Liam." Eli encouraged, his pale face fixed with heartwarming expression. Well, it would have been heartwarming if it hadn't been doused with a cloud of death. Liam still tried to put on his best fake happiness, hoping it would be enough to satisfy his brother.

"I can't really help it, E. You're my kid brother. This wasn't supposed to happen to you." Liam muttered, focusing on applying pressure.

"Still you're 'kid brother', huh? Just like when we were kids." Eli whispered, his eyes drifting closed. Liam waited. Eli had to open his eyes again. It was probably just an extended blink. He waited.

"Eli?" he mumbled.

No answer.

"Eli?" he repeated, louder and firmer. Eli didn't even flinch.

"Eli, buddy, wake up.

His voice cracked, the tears flooding his eyes with a vengeance. This wasn't right.

Eli had to wake up. Liam couldn't lose his brother. Eli was the only one that he listened to; the only one to understand him. He just had to wake up.

The ambulance sirens echoed in the distance.

* * *

_Author's Note: Phew, another chapter done. Probably only one more left. Geez, I can't get over the whole scissors thing. Now I'm worried that if I'm in the same situation I'll get so flustered that I'll just pull those scissors out. You know, it was the only thing between life and death. Man, seriously powerful scene for me to get all obsessed about it like that. My gosh. Scissors. Anyway, please review, I'd appreciate a little love.)_


	6. Membership Renewed

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Lie to Me, as usual.**_

_Author's Note: I don't usually mean to ramble in my author's notes, but life seems to be giving me such interesting experiences lately. This morning, I woke up at 6:30am after having a terrible, vivid and frightening dream about zombies. I really want to tell you guys about it, and I don't know why. Even if you guys don't read this, I just wanted to write it out for some reason._

_ So, in my dreams, I usually don't have a part. I'm like a floating, detached entity that sometimes resides in a character's person, but I'm not actually that person and I don't control their actions. Anyway, so I'm in this room with the Winchester brothers from Supernatural. They're raising this hullabaloo about something and I vaguely thought that maybe I should be concerned. Well, then they start talking about barricading themselves into their hotel room because of zombies. They get down to business and then Dean opens the front door and a bunch of people start screaming and fighting to get in the room._

_ "Zombies are after us!" they yell and Dean tries his best to shove them out. His excuse is that he doesn't know who's been infected and if they let one person in, they have to let them all in. I feel bad for all the poor shmucks, but he's got a point. Sam, however, is a little reluctant and whips out his best I-don't-think-that's-the-best-idea face. Dean caves and lets the people in and tells them that if a zombie comes, they're getting locked out. Things have elevated, but panic has not yet registered for me. My strange, floaty entity self has taken residence in Dean's person and I see everything from his eyes. He's guarding the door and monitoring the people that come through._

_ Well, there's these two guys dawdling on the other side of the door. They have some lame excuse and claim that there's no hurry. Then this other guy comes walking down the hall._

_ "Mike?" the guy asks, and smiles. Somehow—I don't know how—Dean knows this third dude is a zombie. One of the other guys seems to have figured it out too and tries to get through the door, but it's too late. Dean shoves him out and locks the door. Lo and behold, the two guys are devoured by the talking zombie._

_ Dean looks at Sam with this look of knowing and Sam says,_

_ "They're getting smarter."_

_ Then I woke up. It was terrifying and so vivid. I was looking around my room like a zombie was goin' to bust through the door and attack me. I even glanced out the window to see if any of them were wandering through my backyard. Freaked the crap out of me. I'm thinking about basing a Supernatural fic off of it._

_ Anyhow, here's the final chapter. Hope it's a wonderful ending. I didn't focus quite so much on the team because I kind of liked the family aspect, so I'm sorry if you were expecting some team angst…_

* * *

**6. Membership Renewed**

Liam was overwhelmed.

The call to his parents had been miserable. His mother was weeping softly and his father was doing his best to be strong in the midst of turmoil. Their baby was in the hospital. His kid brother was in surgery. Eli—the logical and somewhat cautious son of the family—had been pistol whipped, robbed and dumped down a hillside. The chances of such an event were unlikely. And Liam didn't know whether to be depressed or enraged by the thought. He took a helping of both just to be sure.

His parents had driven down in a hurry, wasting no time as they rushed to the hospital. They were the type of people that avoided regret completely. Better to be safe than sorry; better to overdress than underdress; better to be there than not there at all. That last one went for just about anything; it wasn't just the hospital. If Joseph had a meeting during Liam's little league game, he rescheduled and rushed right over. They aimed for no regrets. Because of it, they broke speed limits to get to Eli. Liam wasn't surprised when they walked into the waiting room an hour earlier than expected.

"How're you holding up, bud?"

Liam looked up at his father, unable to scrape the pure terror from his face. To be honest, he wasn't sure he wanted to. If anyone could make him feel better, it was his dad. Joseph just had that gift. Of course, Andy had superpowers of her own, which usually consisted of absolute affection and warmth.

"I'm frightened, pop." Liam croaked, gazing at his father with pleading orbs. He wanted Joseph to tell him what to do or how to feel. He wanted his dad to point him in some…less painful direction.

Instead, Joseph sat next to him with a heavy sigh.

"Me too." he muttered, staring off into the very realm of troubles. Andy was talking to the nurse at the front desk, probably asking for any information in her soft, velvety voice.

"Just when things were going right between us…" Liam mourned, shaking his head. His eyes were glued to the floor, trying to spot an answer in the black freckles of the flooring. Joseph was silent, keeping his strong, but obviously burdened pose. "It was like we were brothers again."

Joseph shifted positions beside him, directing his gaze to the ceiling.

"Eli was always worried about you." Joseph explained, his tone heavy. Liam glanced at his father, vaguely wondering if his dad was lying to him.

"He hated my guts. We both know that." Liam growled, leaning forward as he rested his elbows on his knees. "He was disappointed in me." Liam swore he could hear his father smirk behind him.

"Yes, he was disappointed." Joseph agreed. "But that doesn't mean he hated your guts."

Liam furrowed his brow in confusion. He looked across the waiting room at Eli's team, watching them as he tried to make sense of his dad's words.

"When someone's disappointed, Liam, it's because they know you're better than that." Joseph clarified, leaning forward to match his son. "If there is anyone that knows you better than yourself, it's your brother. The Liam that he grew up with and respected was better than the Liam that joined the darker life. He knew that. Maybe he was disappointed, and maybe he was angry, but he didn't hate you. He never hated you. He was just waiting for you to be the Liam he remembered. Eli waited a long time for that." Liam looked at his father. His old man was telling the truth, that's for sure. But Liam wasn't sure he could believe it himself. Joseph could read the doubt in his son's eyes and smiled to himself. Liam had been the same since childhood. He was the first to ask questions while Eli had been the accepting type.

"Look, Liam. A parent's point of view is a lot different than a son's or a brother's. And from where I stand, Eli has always respected you and what you did for him as kids. From what I can see, Eli was just afraid to face the person his brother had become."

Liam stared at his father long and hard, suddenly overcome with something like guilt. It all made sense. His whole life, Liam had tried to be a perfect example for Eli. He made sure his kid brother was tough and brave. He made sure Eli aimed high and was confident in himself. Liam made sure that if Eli was ever left on his own, he'd be a leader and a functional, independent human being. Somewhere along the way, Liam screwed up. He forgot his goal and his purpose. He'd drifted from the values his parents had taught him and he became someone less than ideal.

He'd left Eli at the top.

And that whole time Eli argued with Liam and reprimanded him, he was just trying to coax his brother back up the ladder. Eli was just trying to remind him what it meant to aim high. In his own way, he was returning the favor, all in hopes of bringing his brother back up.

Even when they were angry and arguing, they were still looking out for the other. It was like they were addicted to brotherhood.

Liam smirked. Joseph smiled.

"Family of Eli Loker?"

* * *

The constant bump of a beep resounded in the room, familiar and calming. There were whispers echoing through the air, drifting across his eardrums like a breeze. He felt tired and foggy, but something told him it was time to face the haze on the other side of his eyelids.

There was still life to live and it was waiting for him to live it.

He cracked his eyes open, staring through a slumbering fog at the ceiling tile. His brain told him that he almost died, but his heart explained he had more to live. Everything seemed to warm at the thought; there was still time to strengthen the good and break away the bad. Time to improve and mold.

Time to make sure everything was how it should be.

"Oh, oh, he's waking up."

His mom was here. It brought up memories of chocolate chip cookies and the smell of lemon dish soap. His haven, his caretaker…that was what his mother had always been.

"Don't poke him, Liam."

His dad was here too, using that level and powerful voice as he always had. It was the same voice that had pulled him through rough times and kept him humble through the best. Always gentle, but always firm. His heart pulled towards the voice, wanting to be closer to hold on to every word.

But even before he realized his parents were there, he just knew Liam was right next to him. Eli could feel it. It was like he was five again, gazing at the stars through a blanket of black. He couldn't see anything, but he knew Liam was there. He always knew.

Yet, opening his eyes and seeing their faces held a joy unmatched by anything he understood.

"About time." Liam sighed, trying to look mockingly irritated, but Eli caught every microexpression of relief and happiness. His parents openly smiled at his consciousness, pleased by the sign of recovery. For once, they were a close family again, knit together around a hospital bed.

But something was different than before. Eli felt like he was being given another chance. Not just at life, but at something bigger than that. A second chance to be a son and a brother. He was being given a second chance to complete something he'd left unfinished. So, the next time the darkness called, he wouldn't worry. He'd know his family would be okay. But, for now, he was just going to cherish the moments and the faces and be what he could. Just until the next time.

"I missed you guys." Eli croaked, smiling softly. He was home again.

And it felt good.

* * *

_Author's Note: Yeah, it's really short, I know. But, to be honest, I didn't really have my heart in this fic anymore. I kind of just want to be done with it. Hence the short and somewhat mediocre ending. Lame, I know. I'm sorry, but Eli whump fics just don't hold the same joy as they used to. Oh well, life goes on. I hope it wasn't too terrible._


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